
NovoEd
A rebrand, website redesign and PR program increase contact form fills by 532% while differentiating edtech provider in crowded space
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On Wednesday we hosted a panel of experts to discuss key findings from our 2018 Future of Retail report at Walker Sands’ HQ in Chicago. The panel, titled The Future of Retail Is Beyond Retail, featured a group of retail and logistics experts, including Scott Webb, President of Avionos, a Chicago-based digital experience company; Lauren Freedman, Founder of the e-tailing group, focused on research in the retail and logistics space; Jim Okamura, Partner at McMillan Doolittle, a retail consultancy; and Erin Jordan, Senior Account Director, Partner at Walker Sands and author of the annual Future of Retail report.
The panelists kicked off the night with a discussion on where they have seen the biggest changes in the industry over the past five years. Some of the most notable changes mentioned were the mobile takeover, consumers’ comfort level in giving out personal information and the increasing desire for convenience in shopping. In addition to the changes we have already seen, here are some highlights from the night about the direction retail is moving in the near future:
The discussion predicted a future where brands will try to take control of the purchase channel and go directly to the consumer. However, Jim Okamura pointed out the difficulty brands will face in this feat as they haven’t had experience navigating the complex world of retail on their own. And while Erin Jordan anticipates advancements in voice commerce providing a more fluid way of life when buying commodities, she and Lauren Freedman believe a split will happen between consumers who will still be looking for the classic, but elevated, in-store experience.
Mirroring the discussion from the panel, our 2018 Future of Retail report revolves around connected lifestyles, the expansion of Amazon, the dramatic rise of voice and the need for supply chain optimization, essentially showing that the future of retail goes beyond retail. You can download the report here for a more in-depth look.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this event! We enjoyed discussing how factors beyond retail are shaping the future of commerce with the brightest industry leaders in Chicago, and we look forward to seeing you at another Walker Sands event soon!